Third arc: After Graduation

{Meeting with Satou-san}

Satou-san and I often meet up.

After graduating from East High School, we were dating in a perfectly normal way, and as part of that, we made plans to meet up in front of the station on days off.

It wasn’t the first time we’ve met up, and we had been on dates during high school. But no matter how many times we’ve done this, I still feel restless while waiting for her.

It’s not that I’m nervous. I don’t get nervous meeting Satou-san. We were classmates for two years, so meeting up now doesn’t make me lose sleep the night before or make me feel uneasy.

It’s just that last night, I read a magazine in bed and ended up sleep-deprived. And today the weather is so nice that my palms are sweating. Standing in the sun makes my head feel hot, and it seems like the heat is spreading through my whole body.

That’s all it was.

Still, Satou-san hasn’t arrived.

Though Satou-san can be a bit slow and clumsy, she is generally not late for our meetings.

She says she doesn’t like keeping people waiting, so when she has a meeting with someone, she tries to leave the house as early as possible. Indeed, when we meet, she sometimes waits at the meeting spot even twenty minutes early. On occasion, when I arrive early, she’s already there, waving at me with a smile—something that happens quite often.

Perhaps that’s because she once had a tough time being kept waiting. I’d rather not think about that again, if I can avoid it, but it’s hard for me to forget because it was about Satou-san. I can confidently say I wouldn’t do such a thing, and Satou-san probably thinks so too. Therefore, she shouldn’t have to experience such a thing again, and there’s no need to worry.

The worry now is Satou-san. Even though it’s already five minutes before our meeting time, she still hasn’t shown up.

It might be a bit early to be anxious that something might have happened, but it’s possible with Satou-san. She usually wouldn’t be this late.

Perhaps she’s sent a message. I checked my phone, but there were no emails or calls.

Then it must be that something happened.

As I looked around nervously—

I suddenly caught sight of Satou-san behind me.

Satou-san was wearing a white off-shoulder dress. It was a dress I recommended when we went shopping together before. She looked much more mature in it, but her clumsy movements and the usual atmosphere she gives off were the same as always. I’m good at spotting Satou-san among crowds, and even now, I easily found her in the bustling scene in front of the station on a holiday.

But for some reason, as soon as I turned around, Satou-san made a clumsy, spy-like move and jumped into the shadow of a nearby street tree.

…What’s that?

Her reaction seemed like she was trying not to be spotted by me, like a small child playing hide and seek. But why would she need to hide from me?

I pretended not to notice and looked around, casually keeping her in the corner of my vision.

Satou-san hid when I looked in her direction but peeked out from behind the tree when I turned my face back. Then she crept closer, seemingly trying to sneak up behind me.

Does that mean she’s trying to surprise me with some childish prank?

As Satou-san inched closer, I stopped turning my head and faced forward, operating my phone. I launched a mirror app to look at the screen and see behind me.

Satou-san was already close enough for me to see her expression, and the screen showed her mischievous but innocent smile.

Even though she had worn a cute dress, what is she doing?

Anyway, I figured out her plan.

She probably intends to surprise me by either saying “boo” from behind or tapping me on the shoulder to see my reaction.

Though such pranks don’t seem like Satou-san’s style, at the same time, her childishness feels very much like her. Well, maybe that’s even cute for her. If it’s Satou-san.

However, I had already noticed her.

When you’re the target of such a prank, it doesn’t work out well if the target is aware. I wouldn’t be as surprised as Satou-san expects. So, she might be disappointed.

Moreover, I felt a bit embarrassed that I found her so easily in the crowded station area. I had arrived at the meeting place before her, who usually comes early. I had been anxiously looking around because she hadn’t arrived, and I easily spotted her in the crowd. It seemed like I was impatiently fidgeting while waiting for Satou-san—though it might be true, I don’t want to be seen that way.

So I need to pretend not to notice Satou-san.

If she stands behind me and says “boo” loudly, I’ll act as if I was really surprised. I’ll pretend I didn’t notice Satou-san was coming—probably that would make her happier.

I checked Satou-san’s position on my phone screen.

She was now just three meters away. Unaware that I knew, she was closing the distance with a carefree smile.

It’s almost time. I took a deep breath and prepared to give a convincing performance. I could hear her suppressed breathing if I listened closely. Then, her shadow gently overlapped with mine on the ground.

Just as I was thinking she might come—

Suddenly, someone bumped into my back.

At the same time, my eyes were covered by soft hands.

“Yamaguchi-kun, who’s there?”

The voice was unmistakably Satou-san’s, a voice I was very familiar with.

But I couldn’t immediately answer because I was out of breath.

Her action was different from what I expected, and her hands covering my eyes were warm and really soft.

Or maybe it was because Satou-san, being shorter than me, had to stretch her arms up to cover my eyes and pressed her body against my back.

Anyway, I almost dropped the phone I was holding.

I hurriedly gripped it and managed to respond, my heart pounding.

“Sa…Satou-san, right? I can tell it’s you…”

When Satou-san heard my answer, she slowly removed her hands from my eyes.

Then she stepped away from my back and peeked out from behind me, looking up at me.

“Correct! You’re amazing, Yamaguchi-kun!”

At that moment, Satou-san was smiling without a care.

But then she immediately looked worried.

“Oh, sorry. Did I surprise you that much?”

Did I really look that surprised?

Sure, my heartbeat was a bit intense, but it wasn’t because I was shocked—well, it was, but still, it felt like my back was still hot.

“I-I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

I hurriedly shook my head. I continued speaking to Satou-san, who looked up at me anxiously.

“I wasn’t that surprised. I actually noticed you.”

“Really? Is that true?”

“Yeah. I saw you coming with a smile, and I knew you were trying to surprise me.”

It was the truth, but it felt strangely like making excuses now.

“I see…”

Satou-san nodded as if she understood, then showed a relieved smile.

“Yamaguchi-kun, you looked so surprised. I thought maybe I surprised you too much.”

“Well… I was a bit surprised. I thought you might try to surprise me with a sudden voice or something, so I braced myself a little, but I didn’t expect this. It was unexpected.”

Even though it wasn’t a lie, my explanation sounded like an excuse. It might be because my heartbeat hadn’t calmed down yet.

“I considered that too.”

She blushed a little in embarrassment.

“But I felt like you’d recognize me just by my voice, Yamaguchi-kun… Was it strange? This kind of thing?”

I can recognize Satou-san from a distance by her movements or presence, not just her voice.

I don’t think that’s strange. It’s normal since we’re dating.

“It’s not strange. I can recognize Satou-san’s voice too.”

When I said that, she seemed pleased. Smiling with her red cheeks, she held onto the sleeve of my shirt.

“Thank you, Yamaguchi-kun. I’m glad you recognized me.”

“So, that’s only natural.”

Though I brushed off her thanks with words, I couldn’t suppress the smile on my face. Of course, Satou-san saw it and looked even happier.

“Yeah. Yamaguchi-kun is amazing, so you definitely recognized me.”

I would have preferred if she used a different way to describe me rather than saying I’m “amazing,” but I didn’t have the luxury to correct her, and more importantly, Satou-san seemed happy, so it was fine.

Anyway, to enjoy our date, I need to calm down quickly and hold Satou-san’s hand.

Satou-san and I often meet up, but I don’t get nervous over such things.

But when something like today happens, it’s natural to be surprised or flustered.

My back is still hot. Satou-san’s hand, which I’ve now reconnected with, is warm, and she keeps glancing at me, so my heart continued to beat loudly for a while.